Los Angeles Rams–Washington Commanders Trade History

The Rams received Bob Hoffman, Jim Hardy, and Walter Ziemba. Hoffman contributed immediately, and the three-player return gave Los Angeles more usable value than Washington obtained from Jack Jacobs, making the Rams the stronger side in hindsight. The B+ grade reflects that realized football value and the complete supported package, while the overall verdict is Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams Win.

The Rams received Steve Bagarus in exchange for Tom Farmer and Ralph Ruthstrom. Bagarus appeared in only two games for Los Angeles before later returning to Washington, limiting the Rams' realized value from the transaction. That outcome supports a C+ grade for Los Angeles Rams within the final Washington Redskins Win verdict.

Los Angeles received the rights to Nick Bolkovac and a 1953 sixth-round pick that became Paul Miller. Those assets gave the Rams future options, but the documented football return is less substantial than Washington's immediate benefit from Joe Moss. The Rams' side therefore grades as a modest return rather than a clear long-term success.

Los Angeles acquired Washington's 1955 second-round choice and used No. 15 on Ron Waller, while Washington received Sam Baker. Waller became an immediate All-NFL-caliber rookie and played four seasons for the Rams. Baker developed into a valuable Washington kicker, punter and back, including Pro Bowl recognition, giving both clubs substantial return from the exchange.

Multi-team transaction also involving Arizona Cardinals.

Arizona captured the strongest long-term value in the January 30, 1954 three-team trade. The Cardinals received Night Train Lane, Len Teeuws and Bob Morgan; Lane became a six-year secondary star for the franchise and Teeuws became a four-year starter. Washington also created useful value by later turning Don Paul into Johnny Carson and Dale Atkeson, while the Rams' direct return proved much shorter-lived.

Los Angeles acquired Hall Haynes and received immediate starting secondary value. Haynes started 11 games for the Rams in 1954 and recorded an interception, giving the club a clear one-season payoff from the trade. His return was not long-term star value, but it was substantial enough to anchor a modest Rams advantage.

Los Angeles Rams received fourth round pick (undisclosed). Los Angeles received a fourth-round draft choice, but the exact selection has not been identified. The Rams therefore acquired real draft capital, yet its downstream player value cannot be measured without inventing a pick identity. The return should stay explicitly unresolved.

Los Angeles sent quarterback Rudy Bukich to Washington in September 1957 and received two premium draft choices: Washington's 1958 first-rounder and 1959 second-rounder. Those selections became Lou Michaels at No. 4 overall and Buddy Humphrey at No. 16. Bukich gave Washington only a short stay, while Los Angeles converted one expendable quarterback into two significant shots at young talent.

Los Angeles Rams received 1961 fourth round pick (#45-Charlie Cowan) in the 1960-09-06 exchange, while Washington Redskins received Roy Wilkins. Los Angeles received Washington’s 1961 fourth-round choice, No. 45, and used it on Charlie Cowan. Cowan became the strongest long-term NFL asset connected to the exchange, giving the Rams the clearer enduring return.

On 1962-09-04, Los Angeles Rams received 1964 high draft pick, while Washington Commanders received Bob Pellegrini. The hindsight verdict is Washington Commanders Win, with Los Angeles Rams graded C and Washington Commanders graded B. The evaluation follows the documented consideration and traceable football value, while leaving unresolved downstream pick identities out of the judgment.

Los Angeles traded the contract rights to Heisman Trophy quarterback Gary Beban to Washington for a 1969 first-round pick. The Rams used the No. 10 selection on receiver Jim Seymour. Seymour had only a modest three-year NFL career, but Beban appeared in just five games and never became Washington's quarterback of the future, leaving Los Angeles with the superior realized value.

On 1969-09-09, Los Angeles Rams received Mitch Johnson, while Washington received draft pick. The hindsight verdict is Los Angeles/Cleveland/St. Louis Rams Win, with Los Angeles Rams graded B and Washington graded C+. The evaluation follows the documented consideration and the football value that can be traced from it, while keeping unverified downstream pick identities or conditional outcomes out of the final judgment.

George Allen’s first major Washington move sent Marlin McKeever and seven premium-to-midround selections to Los Angeles for six veteran players and a fifth-round pick. Washington immediately gained experienced starters and became a playoff team, but the Rams converted the package into Isiah Robertson, Dave Elmendorf and additional draft assets. The long-term star power favors Los Angeles, though Washington’s immediate return was genuinely valuable.

On 1971-03-31, Los Angeles Rams received 1973 fifth-round draft pick, while Washington Commanders received Tommy Mason. The hindsight verdict is Washington Redskins Win, with Los Angeles Rams graded C+ and Washington Commanders graded B. The evaluation credits only the consideration that can be traced confidently and keeps uncertain pick details out of the final judgment.

Los Angeles sent center George Burman to Washington in July 1971 for two draft choices, one of which is traceable as the 1974 fourth-round pick that became No. 99 and Norris Weese. Burman appeared only briefly for Washington, while the Rams at least recovered multiple future assets. Because one selection remains unidentified and Weese did not become a Rams regular, Los Angeles earns only a narrow edge.

Los Angeles sent veteran safety Richie Petitbon to Washington in August 1971. The return was a 1973 sixth-round selection plus a 1974 first-round pick, with the premium choice revised from a 1973 second-rounder after Washington discovered that selection had already been traded. The first-rounder later became part of another Rams transaction.

On 1972-07-19, Los Angeles Rams received draft pick (possibly 1973 #129-Cody Jones), while Washington received Alvin Haymond / Al Haymond. The hindsight verdict is Washington Redskins Win, with Los Angeles Rams graded C+ and Washington graded B. The evaluation follows the documented consideration and the football value that can be traced from it, while treating conditional terms and later draft outcomes as context rather than as assets exchanged directly on trade day.

The Rams moved veteran defensive back Clancy Williams to Washington and received the late 1973 selection used on Kurt Matter. Matter did not appear in an NFL regular-season game, while Williams' eight-season Rams career had effectively reached its end before the trade produced value for Washington. Both clubs exchanged assets with recognizable résumé or draft value, but neither side gained a meaningful post-trade football return.

Los Angeles Rams received 1974 ninth round pick (#213-Don Hutt / Donnie Hutt) from Washington Commanders, sending Joe Sweet the other way. Neither side ultimately received meaningful direct NFL value from the exchange: Sweet's 1974 NFL appearances came with New England, while Hutt pursued the WFL rather than becoming a Rams contributor. That makes a low-impact even verdict the most defensible hindsight result. That outcome supports a C- grade for Los Angeles Rams, and the overall verdict is Even Trade.

Washington acquired veteran running back Larry Smith from the Rams in May 1974 for the 1977 fifth-round pick that became No. 130 Donnie Hickman. Smith offered Washington immediate experienced depth, while the later selection did not develop into a return strong enough to outweigh that practical roster value. Washington holds a modest hindsight edge.

Washington acquired tackle Tim Stokes plus two 1976 draft choices from the Rams for four future picks. Stokes started 33 games for Washington from 1975 through 1977, providing meaningful line value. The Rams' return eventually included 1978 Pro Bowl kicker Frank Corral and additional draft capital that was moved in later deals. Los Angeles gets the edge, but Washington's useful starter prevents a poor grade.

Los Angeles sent guard Dan Nugent to Washington for future second- and third-round selections in the 1980 draft. The second-rounder became No. 50 Irv Pankey, who played 144 games and started 117 for the Rams. With another third-round asset also included, Los Angeles turned one useful lineman into far greater long-term roster value.

Washington sent a future 1981 third-round pick to the Rams for three draft choices spanning 1977 and 1978. The transaction record associates the future third, with a probability qualifier, with No. 66 Robert Cobb, who played only six games for the Rams. Washington's package included the choice connected to Don Hover, who later played 32 NFL games, producing the stronger return.

Los Angeles received defensive back Eddie Brown and a 1981 seventh-round pick in a broad July 1978 exchange. Brown gave the Rams useful immediate value, including a productive 1979 season and postseason contributions, but the Rams surrendered several players and premium future choices. The return was real, yet not large enough to match Washington’s deeper package.

Los Angeles moved up to No. 9 in the 1981 draft and selected linebacker Mel Owens, who spent nine seasons with the Rams, played 122 games, started 91 and recorded 26.5 sacks. Washington received selections No. 20, No. 52 and No. 105, led by guard Mark May, a long-term starter on championship teams. Both clubs converted the exchange into major multi-year value through foundational contributors.

Los Angeles acquired Washington's 1982 first-round pick, which became running back Barry Redden at No. 14. Washington received four selections, headlined by 1981 third-round guard Russ Grimm and the 1982 second-round pick used on cornerback Vernon Dean. Grimm became a Hall of Famer and three-time Super Bowl champion, while Dean intercepted 22 career passes. Redden was useful, but Washington's return was historically superior.

Washington moved Henry Childs to the Rams only days after acquiring him and received Los Angeles’ 1982 third-round pick at No. 61 plus a seventh-round choice at No. 172. Childs gave the Rams seven starts, 12 catches, 145 yards and one touchdown in 1981. Washington’s third-round selection became Carl Powell, who never appeared in an NFL regular-season game, but the two-pick return still favored Washington’s asset management.

Washington acquired tackle Dan McQuaid from the Los Angeles Rams on August 24, 1985 for its 1986 fourth-round choice, which became No. 101. McQuaid played 30 regular-season games with three starts for Washington from 1985 through 1987.

Washington traded picks No. 82, No. 137 and No. 165 to the Rams in the 1988 draft for No. 66, used on running back Mike Oliphant. Los Angeles found a useful defensive lineman in Mike Piel, who played 50 Rams games with 13 sacks. Washington's value became larger one year later when it traded Oliphant straight up for Earnest Byner, turning the acquired asset into a major multi-year contributor.

Los Angeles received the 1988 twelfth-round selection associated with Jeff Beathard plus a 1989 eleventh-round choice tied to Willie Griffin. Those late-round assets did not turn into meaningful direct Rams production. The package gave Los Angeles extra draft opportunities, but the eventual football return was too small to create a clear advantage in a deal built entirely around late selections.

Washington acquired defensive tackle Sean Gilbert from the Rams for the sixth pick in the 1996 draft and received immediate high-level defensive production. Gilbert recorded 10.5 sacks in his first Washington season and gave the club an established interior force during a competitive stretch. The relationship later became complicated by a contract dispute, but the football return still compared favorably with what St. Louis ultimately received from the premium pick.

The Rams moved from No. 145 to No. 154 and added No. 186, while Washington used No. 145 on cornerback Jerametrius Butler. Washington selected receiver Darnerien McCants at No. 154 and Mario Monds at No. 186. McCants contributed 58 receptions and eight touchdowns, but Butler produced the strongest career in the deal, appearing in 71 games and intercepting nine passes. That gives the Rams the better return.

Washington obtained running back Trung Canidate from St. Louis for guard David Loverne and a 2003 fourth-round pick, later used on DeJuan Groce. Canidate led Washington in rushing in 2003 with 600 yards across 11 games, while the Rams received line depth and a defensive back. St. Louis collected multiple pieces, but Washington got the strongest immediate on-field production from the exchange.

Washington sent picks No. 157 and No. 228 to St. Louis for Nos. 168 and 180. Washington selected punter Durant Brooks and safety Kareem Moore; Moore played 42 games with 13 starts, while Brooks lasted six games. The Rams selected Roy Schuening and Chris Chamberlain. Schuening contributed almost nothing, but Chamberlain became a four-year Ram with 59 games and 19 starts, giving St. Louis the stronger return.

Washington acquired Adam Carriker while moving down 28 spots in the fifth round and up three spots in the seventh. Carriker started 33 games and recorded seven sacks for Washington. St. Louis later traded the incoming fifth-rounder and used part of the return on Eugene Sims, who played seven seasons for the Rams and recorded 12 sacks. Both clubs found meaningful defensive value, making this a genuine draw.

Washington and St. Louis swapped 2010 draft picks Hall Davis and Dennis Morris late in the preseason. The exchange produced virtually no regular-season value for either receiving club. Davis never appeared in a Washington game and later surfaced with Tennessee, while Morris did not make the Rams' final roster. With both sides trading developmental players who failed to contribute for their new teams, the fairest hindsight result is a low-value even trade.

The Robert Griffin III trade remains one of the most famous quarterback gambles of the modern draft era. Washington moved a massive package to select Griffin, who delivered a spectacular rookie season but not long-term stability. The Rams turned the pick into a haul of premium assets, giving St. Louis the stronger long-term result. The deal remains a priority evergreen page because RGIII's rookie season, injury arc, and the Rams' asset haul still draw major trade-history interest.

Los Angeles Rams received Derek Carrier from Washington Commanders. The Rams received Derek Carrier and used him in a modest tight end role for one season. He provided real but limited short-term service after the exchange. That outcome supports a C grade for Los Angeles Rams. The final verdict is Even Trade, based on the football value the club actually realized from the assets it controlled after the exchange.

Washington sent the Rams picks No. 205 and No. 231 for picks No. 197 and No. 256, selecting Shaun Dion Hamilton and Trey Quinn. Washington moved up for Shaun Dion Hamilton and Trey Quinn, receiving several seasons of linebacker and receiver depth. Los Angeles moved back for Trevon Young and Travin Howard. Howard developed into a useful linebacker and made a decisive interception during the Rams' 2021 NFC Championship run, giving the Rams the most consequential contribution from the four players involved.